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How the Lincoln Continental Concept almost wasn't

That Lincoln Continental Concept that everyone is so excited about? It almost didn't happen. Speaking at the private reveal event for the concept yesterday, Ford Motor Company CEO Mark Fields revealed that when the design team started working on the vehicle that eventually became the Continental, the designers thought it was just another full-size luxury concept, and were turning in ideas to match. The problem, Fields said, is that this was an important vehicle to get right. "A full-size luxury sedan for a luxury brand is a very important marker that, I think, sets the beat for the brand and it creates a lot of awareness and favorability if you do it right," he said. "As we were designing this concept ... we reviewed with the designers the themes. The first couple of themes the team came with really didn't do it for us because we want to make sure that every vehicle that we bring out with Lincoln moves the brand forwards in a big way. So we went through the first couple of them and we really didn't get that kind of 'oomph' in the pit of our stomach." The team was stuck with an upcoming debut and nothing exciting to show for it, until the past was brought into the present. "In one of the design reviews, we were looking around at everyone and we mentioned, you know what, why don't we call this the Continental Concept? And I have to tell you, the body language was unbelievable in the design showroom. Everybody's head snapped up and you could see everybody's eyes widen and they started nodding and they said, 'now we get it.'" Aside from the Navigator, every vehicle Lincoln currently sells is simply named a trio of letters that start with M and K. Fields knew that the large luxury segment sedan is important for a company like Lincoln, with about 1.8 million units sold last year and an expected growth to around 2 million units by the end of the decade, he said. "When you think about where that growth is coming from, it's still a substantial segment here in the US, it's a very substantial segment and even more substantial segment in China. As a matter of fact, that segment grew by 17 percent last year and China is the largest market for full-size luxury sedans." Given the positive reaction to the Continental Concept thus far, bringing the name back from the dead might be just the thing Lincoln needed.

Ford and Lincoln recall about 170,000 vehicles over defective rear-view camera

Ford and Lincoln have jointly issued a safety recall that includes nearly 170,000 vans and SUVs built between the 2018 and 2023 model years. The vehicles included in the campaign are equipped with a rear-view camera whose image can cut out while the driver is backing up. Assigned recall number 23V-598 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign includes the following cars: 7,649 units of the 2020-2023 Aviator fitted with the standard rear-view camera and built from October 19, 2019, to August 17, 2023. 70,600 units of the 2018-2021 Navigator fitted with the 360-degree camera and built from March 16, 2017, to December 23, 2021. 66,740 units of the 2022-2023 Transit fitted with either camera system and built from February 26, 2021, to August 17, 2023. 24,468 units of the 2021 Bronco fitted with the 360-degree camera and built from September 23, 2020, to December 22, 2021. Ford explains that the defect is present in all of the 169,277 vehicles included in the campaign. While these are different cars equipped with different technology, they all suffer from the same problem. The company explains that "customers may intermittently experience either a rear camera blue image or a full blue or black image on the SYNC [infotainment system] screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse, or when the 360-degree view is selected and available." It adds that losing the camera's image while backing up increases the risk of the crash. The cause of the problem varies from model to model. Ford has narrowed it down to the camera hardware, the wiring retention, and the Image Processing Module - V (IPMB) software. It adds that "fretting corrosion causes tin oxide formation on the internal camera connector due to [a] thermally-induced micro-movement between the tin-plated contact surfaces," and that the rate of tin oxide accumulation depends on factors such as the temperature and the humidity. It has also traced some of these issues to a problem during the manufacturing process. Ford will begin notifying owners of affected vehicles by mail on October 2. When parts are available, owners will be asked to bring their van or SUV to an authorized dealer so that a technician can replace the rear-view camera. Transit models included in the campaign will also receive a software update. Owners who have already paid to fix the problem can claim a reimbursement until June 30, 2024. This isn't Ford's first rear-view camera-related recall.

2023 Lincoln Navigator makes changes to trim lineup and color menu

Lincoln has been doing its thing out of the way of the big headlines at Ford. The brand hasn't put out an official press release for the Navigator since August 2021, the 2023 Navigator whispering into the new year so quietly we barely noticed. The big SUV got refreshed for the 2022 model year, gaining the brand's ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, Lincoln Enhance over-the-air update capability, a larger 13.2-inch infotainment screen, two new themes for the top-tier Black Label trim called Central Park and Invitation, tweaked front and rear fascias, and a few other bits. For 2023, the changes are mostly decorative and financial. The base extended model known as the Navigator L is gone. The stretched Navigator now comes in Reserve and Black Label only. Flight Blue is no longer on the exterior palette, but Diamond Red Tricoat can be ordered for the base Standard trim as well as the Reserve and Reserve L. The sole powertrain is unchanged, that being a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque sending power through a ten-speed automatic to either the rear wheels or all four. 2023 Navigator prices after the $1,895 destination charge, and their increases from 2022, are: Standard: $81,620 ($3,215) Reserve: $93,830 ($4,730) Reserve L: $96,860 ($5,090) Standard 4WD: $84,620 ($3,215) Reserve 4WD: $96,530 ($5,090) Reserve L 4WD: $99,555 ($5,090) Black Label 4WD: $111,150 ($6,475) Black Label L 4WD: $114,195 ($6,475) As you can see, there are some healthy bumps compared to launch pricing for the 2022 model year. In 2022, the base model dropped by $5, three other trims rose by a few hundred, one trim rose by $1,760, and five climbed by almost $5,000. For 2023, a $5,000 increase is effectively the norm. Getting a Navigator seems to be a little easier than around this time last year when Lincoln made the model custom order only. Now the warning text reads, "Some models, trims and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." Bring money. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.